School club keys on service, community and respect

By NICK GROFF, Press Tribune

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

About four years ago, Van Buren Elementary school teacher Steven Escobedo realized a need at his school.

He noticed a student culture that in some instances lacked a bit of respect. Students needed to better understand the importance of community service and respect, so Escobedo created the Gentleman’s Club at the Caldwell, Idaho school.

Since the club started, that culture changed. The group follows the three Cs: character, courage and confidence.

“We talk about what a gentleman is and what it takes to be a man — having respect for ourselves and others,” Escobedo said.

The group of about 25 fifth-grade boys meets once a month. They dress in a shirt and tie and discuss ideas students have in ways of assisting the community.

Melissa Langan, principal at Van Buren in Caldwell, said most recently the group volunteered carrying groceries for customers at a local food bank.

“They walked in, probably feeling like it was a great thing to get out of school for an hour, but it just gives you goosebumps when you see them step-up,” Langan said. “People were so appreciative. It makes our boys feel valued and productive.”

Langan said all fifth-grade boys are welcome to join the group, but they must complete an application before joining, a process that requires a teacher referral, parent involvement and the completion of a questionnaire by the student. Those selected are announced as members over the school’s PA system.

Van Buren administration and staff place high importance on leadership roles and simply doing the right thing within the school, and the group extends that to the community, she said. The boys have a “special sense of pride” as members of the club.

“The boys take it very seriously and they don’t want to do anything to jeopardize (their involvement). I would say generally, it’s a great motivator for them,” Langan said.

Joe Grover, a teacher at Wilson Elementary School, liked the idea of the Gentleman’s Club and with the help of Josh Cline, who is a speech-language pathologist at Wilson, started a similar program at his school called Guys in Ties.

Cline said Grover noticed the need for positive community role models and mentors. The fifth grade boys, who complete a similar application process as the Gentleman’s Club, meet at monthly luncheons, also decked out in a shirt and tie. Cline and Grover invite local businessmen, coaches and other positive role models the boys might interact with in the future.

“We don’t want someone from Boise who they won’t see outside of school, we want it really local,” Cline, said. The guests talk about what makes a gentleman and their experiences in the community.

“Does putting on a shirt and tie make you a gentleman? It’s more about how you treat yourself and others — it’s a full-time thing being a leader and a gentleman in your school,” Cline said.

The luncheon provides teachable moments, he said, where the guest speakers and boys talk about expectations of a gentleman. The group also works through mistakes, how to fix them and be a gentleman in the future.

Guys in Ties is in its second year and is popular with students and teachers at Wilson. Cline said a teacher told him about a student in the club who had never expressed thanks, but after spending time with the group, thanked his teacher for a compliment.

“We get so many compliments from the teachers about how nice they look and their conduct,” Cline said. “I think they feel a sense of pride being part of it — (the boys feel) good about being set apart and standing out.”